What we eat shapes our psyche – but hardly anyone uses this knowledge. Or did you know that you can alleviate the symptoms of depression, anxiety disorder or sleep disorder with psychobiotics? Dr. med. Sabrina Mörkl is a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine and has conducted many…
What we eat shapes our psyche – but hardly anyone uses this knowledge. Or did you know that you can alleviate the symptoms of depression, anxiety disorder or sleep disorder with psychobiotics?
Dr. med. Sabrina Mörkl is a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine and has conducted many studies on gut flora at the University of Graz. She has compiled her knowledge in a book about psychobiotics. I'll reveal her 12 best tips for a psychobiotic diet.
Eating for the soul: The underestimated potential of nutritional psychiatry
Since I have been using nutritional medicine approaches in my practice, I have experienced that long-term stabilization of people with mental illnesses is possible,
Despite this, 'the concept of nutritional psychiatry is unfortunately still a term that few psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists are familiar with', Dr. Mörkl notes. 'Although we intuitively know that what we take in through our food does not only benefit our body but also our brain and psyche.' So it usually remains the task of patients to accompany their therapy with a suitable diet. A first step: getting informed. For example, with the book by the expert: 'Nutrition for the Psyche: The Cookbook'. If nutrients are lacking: What is missing in your brain when you have mental illnesses Who wants to make a contribution to mental illnesses through nutrition must know the biochemistry of the brain. If there are depressions, anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorders, there is an imbalance of neurotransmitters at the same time. These include, for example: L-Tryptophan, 5-HTP, Serotonin, Melatonin, Tyrosine, Dopamine and Noradrenaline. If we provide our body with the right co-factors - vitamins and minerals - we help it to eliminate a deficiency and establish a balance again. So, according to the expert, medications can be reduced or even discontinued. According to Dr. Mörkl, deficiencies are often found in people with mental illnesses in the following nutrients: - Omega-3 fatty acids - Vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin D) - Minerals (such as magnesium and zinc) - Amino acids (such as tryptophan and phenylalanine) Also, higher inflammation values are measured in depression, anxiety states or schizophrenia. The expert therefore recommends checking the C-reactive protein when the next blood test is done. No energy or too much? If the gut bacteria are out of balance When we talk about nutrition for the psyche, we cannot avoid looking at the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The communication of this axis is disturbed in mentally ill people. In addition, they show a different composition of the gut bacteria than healthy people. This altered composition is called dysbiosis and can, in combination with stress, infections, antibiotics or a poor diet, lead to increased permeability of the gut barrier. This opens the door to foreign substances and leads again to inflammation processes, affects the energy production of the mitochondria negatively. And if we have no energy, we are often too tired for many activities. Psychobiotics and the Mediterranean diet From antibiotics and probiotics you have probably heard something. Psychobiotics are (still) not so well-known. Dr. Sabrina Mörkl: 'Currently, the term psychobiotic includes all treatment methods that are directed at the microbiome, such as nutrition therapy, fiber, living bacteria (probiotics), the metabolic products of the bacteria (postbiotics), but also combinations of the mentioned components, such as synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and synbiotics.' A diet that specifically supports this microbial diversity and is also recommended by Dr. Sabrina Mörkl is the Mediterranean diet. It provides plenty of fiber, secondary plant compounds and healthy fats - and thus creates ideal conditions for a stable microbiome and a balanced psyche.
But what exactly do these anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and microbiome and immune system-influencing effects consist of? Dr. Sabrina Mörkl: 'Let's break down the Mediterranean diet into its individual components, so there is no single food and no single nutrient that is responsible for the overall effect on the psyche.' Or as Aristotle said: 'The whole is more than the sum of its parts.' 12 nutrition recommendations of psychobiotic nutrition - Try to eat three portions of fruit and six portions of vegetables every day (for example: apples, bananas, berries, pears, onions, cabbage, leeks, asparagus, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers and artichokes). - Eat a whole apple or cut it into slices. Eat it with your muesli or oatmeal. It is also a good addition to smoothies with other fruits. You can for example put some kefir and fruit in a blender and make a smoothie with many prebiotics. - Roasted vegetables in the oven are easy to prepare. You can also add some fresh garlic, which improves the taste and provides additional prebiotics. - Consume whole grain instead of refined grain (such as white bread). - Sprinkle chia seeds or flax seeds over your salad, in your yogurt or in your oatmeal. You can also add some berries to improve the taste. - If kefir is too sour for you, you can make a smoothie by adding some fruit and spices like cinnamon or a little cocoa. - Quinoa, barley and chickpeas are a great addition to salads. Here you can add onions and other vegetables to improve the taste and have more prebiotics in your meal. - Quinoa and chickpeas must be cooked before use. You can also buy chickpeas in cans and use them immediately without cooking them. Instead of chickpeas, you can also eat hummus (chickpea puree with olive oil). Combine hummus with crackers made from whole grain or quinoa or other grain. - Nuts: A handful of nuts is a great snack in between. - Kombucha is fermented black or green tea. You can enjoy it as a meal or as a drink in between. - Sauerkraut can be used in various ways. Add it to soups, casseroles, sandwiches or enjoy it simply with mashed potatoes. - Leek and cabbage: A delicious way to enjoy leeks and cabbage is the preparation of pan dishes. You can also add onions and garlic to enhance the taste. These and many more nutrition tips – especially tailored to the specific mental illness – and 60 recipes for depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders and more can be found in the book 'Nutrition for the Psyche: The Cookbook' by Dr. med. Sabrina Mörkl. Many of the foods mentioned above are rich in fiber, which can help you bring your microbiome back into balance. The best sources of fiber can also be found in the image gallery: Also interesting: - Summer, sun, sunshine ... Vitamin D should not be a problem in the warm season. Many think so – and are grossly mistaken. Because even in the summer, a vitamin D deficiency can occur. Why you should have it checked.
- If you don't have to think about it and you also keep an eye on your figure along with a healthy diet, you may be pleased to hear that vitamin C can support weight loss. - You've probably already heard that vitamin C – together with vitamin A and vitamin E – belongs to the beauty vitamins. They are associated with beautiful skin, strong fingernails and shiny hair. But did you also know that vitamin B12 plays an elementary role as a beauty vitamin when it comes to aging beautifully and with dignity? Here I'll tell you why.
